Yeovil (/ˈjoʊvəl/ YOH-vəl) is a town and civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England. The population of Yeovil at the last census (2011) was 45,784. More recent estimates show a population of 48,564. It is close to Somerset's southern border with Dorset, 126 miles (203 km) from London, 41.8 miles (67.3 km) south of Bristol, 6 miles (9.7 km) from Sherborne and 27.6 miles (44.4 km) from Taunton. The aircraft and defence industries which developed in the 20th century made it a target for bombing in the Second World War; they are still major employers. Yeovil Country Park, which includes Ninesprings, is one of several open spaces with educational, cultural and sporting facilities. Religious sites include the 14th-century Church of St John the Baptist. The town is on the A30 and A37